Twigs and cuddles
by perpetuallyexhaustedcow
Summary: Branch likes being alone. But he may find a close friend in the most unlikeliest trolls. Rated M for future chapters. M/M, breek, Branch x Creek
1. twigs

The sun was bright, speckled bits shining through the thick canopy. The forest floor was humid as the morning dew evaporated and buzzing with life: birds, bugs, and other flying things. But was otherwise quiet save for the breeze blowing through the grasses and low-lying plants. Branch noted how peaceful it was as he bent over collecting still damp twigs. "I'll have to let these dry out before I can properly store them." He thought to himself. He enjoyed mornings like this, not another troll around to sing loudly, jump all over him in attempts to coerce him into hugging or noisily crash through the forest. No. This was nice. This was quiet. Despite being in the open he felt safe. He noted the earthy smell of mulched leaves as he tugged at the base of a plant. Wild carrot he identified it as. It soothed him. If he let himself get carried away much more he probably would've been humming quietly to himself. A dragonfly darted past him as he brushed the damp earth off his root before stuffing it into his pack.

He went about the remainder of the morning in a similar fashion; enjoying the quietness of the nature that surrounded him as he stocked up on what food was available for this time of year.

His ear twitched slightly as he heard the tell tale signs of the troll village, singing loudly for any nearby bergen (or any predatory creature for that matter) to hear. He twisted his face into a distasteful sneer. It's not that he hated the other trolls, or even hated their singing. He quite enjoyed it in fact. What he couldn't stand, however, was the loudness, the brash jarring noises that seemed to ooze from their mouths non-stop. "Reckless, irresponsible, and at times yes, even annoying." His sneer only grew. If only there was one other troll who saw things the way he did! Just one!

Alas, he knew that was too much to ask for. No one seemed to enjoy the quiet he did. And all that hugging! Perhaps it has been the years of self isolation. Perhaps it was just his introverted predisposition. Either way, he didnt care for it. His annoyance seemed to only grow the closer he shambled to the village, taking care to walk slower and slower in order to prolong his sense of peace, which has all but left him.

"HI BRANCH!" Something pink that smelled sickeningly sweet shattered into his musings, startling him.

"Who-ACK!" He shoved his bundle of twigs to the ground as he fell back, barely managing to grab one pointing it threateningly towards the offender.

"Oh, it's just you Poppy." He muttered something about "pink eye sores and eardrums" as he stood up and dusted himself off. He bent over to recollect his twigs. "What do you want?"

"Oh Branch, you're so funny when you get startled, what'd, you think I was a bergen or something?" She joked lightly, tossing her arms up slightly before dropping them again.

Pink engulfed his vision once again as Poppy bent down to shove her face uncomfortably close to Branches own. "I've got something for you~" she sang in that light, cheery tone of hers.

"Wha-issit?" Branch mumbled before he turned away from her, still hunched over picking up the scattered twigs. Only for her to shuffle back into his view seconds later.

He hrumphed as his features twisted into a disinterested scowl and he stood. Poppy stood with him. "Welllll, the Snackpack and I were throwing a liiitle get together, and I wanted to invite you!" Her face scrunched up as she pinched her fingers together at the word 'little'.

"No." Branch dead panned, ignoring the slip of paper she wiggled in front of his face.

"Awww, but Bran-"

"I said No. I'm not interested in parties, cakes, or even hug time." Branch turned away from her in an attempt to ignore her pouty lips and pleading eyes.

This went on for a few more minutes. Poppy pleading with him, Branch in turn making up excuses as to why he didn't want to go. She followed him all the way back to his bunker, picking up random things she thought looked like something he'd collect.

"Isaidno!" Branch said so quickly the words seemed to jumble together as he slid into the not so hidden entrance and snapped the door shut. He opened it just long enough to snatch an acorn from the pile of souvenirs Poppy had collected. He heard her let out a sigh and listened for the muted footsteps to fade into the distance.

Just like the other trolls, he didnt hate Poppy. He actually enjoyed her company sometimes, especially after learning how hard she was to get rid of when her beloved Snackpack wasn't around to drag her away.

He dropped his bag as he rummaged through it, carefully putting each item in a pre organized cubby hole. He noticed he was lost in his thoughts a bit more than usual today. He felt a gnawing sense of guilt as he put the last of his collection away. Maybe he should've accepted. He never had before, and it was only the snackpack and Poppy. Not to many trolls. Reluctantly, he made his way up to the opening of his home.


	2. Midday Musings

As he trudged his way back to the opening he picked up the pile of twigs he'd left near the door. "I better let these sit out before they mold." He had barely opened the hatch door when Poppie's invitation floated down, landing in front of his bare feet. Branch dropped down to pick it up. It wasn't nearly as elaborate as the other invitations she'd made him before. And this time, he didn't feel the need to rip it up or stomp on it, he merely tucked it away in the curtained shelf with the others. Branch picked his piles of twigs up once more, he'd let them dry in a small clearing out of town before he went to tell Poppy he was definitely, maybe, possibly, might go to the small party. Oh well, he'd mull it over before making a final decision.

The sun was even higher than before, and now the forest was hot, and muggy. How did it do that, there was no dew to evaporate. Branch became lost in his thoughts once more as he walked to his first destination, pile of twigs in tow.

He stopped. His ears perked up as he heard the faintest of noises. Making sure to quiet his foot steps he continued to the clearing. Humming? Branch stepped closer, being sure to keep his foot steps soft. He wasn't sure what he would find in the clearing, but he wasn't ready for the sight that greated him.

Creek? A purple troll with teal hair fading into a pastel yellow-green was facing away from Branch. He was humming monotonously, hands palm up loosely resting on his knees. Branch hesitated, it was weird that he was so far away from town.

He sat there for a while. Watching Creek hum to himself in that odd monotone tune. He'd occasionally stop humming in favor of just...being quiet. That was odd. Branch had never seen another troll be quiet and ENJOY it. He sat there watching him even longer. He was dumbfounded, dazed. Though he'd never admit that Creek, of all trolls, Creek who would harass him, make fun of him, give back handed compliments and just generally be a complete ass to him, had Branch transfixed behind a bush watching him.

The reality of what he was doing suddenly hit him. Branch almost hit himself for being so...whatever that was. Not quite, but almost. He sat there a while longer, thighs and calves starting to ache from being in the same crouched position for so long.

Finally, Creek took a deep breathe, stood and stretched. He looked tired. Not the "didn't have a good night's sleep tired", but the emotionally worn out kind. Suddenly it seemed like tiny lines punctuated the tiredness in his eyes. Branch heard him sigh, looking longinly at the spot his was just sitting in as if all he wanted to do was stay there a little longer. He smiled his usual smug grin with half lidded eyes as if it were a mask and walked right past Branch, a little bounce in his step.

What? Branch could hardly process what he had just seen. Perhaps Creek was more than Branch had made him out to be.

No. Creek was a horrible troll who liked to gloat and spout all this peace and love crap while mocking Branch. And yet...Branch looked back the way Creek had walked. He wasn't even with the beetle who carried him around.

He set his pile of twigs out in the now waning sun. Luckily his twigs weren't too wet, they would dry before night hit if he left them now.

Branch was still focused on Creek. How quiet he had been. How tired he looked. And that weird smile he plastered to his face.

He hadn't even noticed that his feet took him back to his bunker in all his mullings. Branch lied down on his bed, springs squeaking. He noticed how tired HE was. Maybe a nap would be nice... He dozed off, dreaming of mean, pretty trolls and plastered on smiles.


End file.
